"Eat, Sleep, Carve"

[Colin-Partridge]

Hi Gang,
I have been busy again this week I just finished four elm carvings in tree that had contacted Dutch Elm Disease and in the spring these trees were perfectly heathy and by the end of the summer had completly died. The customer had contacted me and wanted them done right away. Although I do have other commissions to do the tree cutters were coming and she wanted them carved right away. This is the first time I have carved Elm and let me tell you it is really hard wood. I have carved Oak and Maple but that is not as hard as Elm. The carvings took me three full days from start to finish thank god the weather has been some of the best days of the summer in this part of the country. Tomorrow I am off to finish a carving I had started in a white pine. I have only three more tree carvings and I will be caught up. This is a good thing as I am running out of nice weather. When you are the only tree carver in this part of the country things can get really busy sometimes. You know though it doesnt matter how busy I get I always have time every day to check with my friends here on this message board. I have posted picture at the following link in case it doesnt work they are on Picture trail under 'Tree Carvings'. As always I welcome constructive comments.
http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/...&members=1
Colin

[Kenny_S]

Ah, Colin, A little stropped for time eh?

[squbrigg]

Nice work Colin. The colour of the wood really stands out compared to the bark, and highlights your fine work even more. Looks like they are 'Talking amongst themselves, spirit to spirit'.

Well done.

Bob

Looking good Colin, hopefully the weather will cool down here enough during the day so I can get back out and finish my totem pole out of..... ELM I've got the top finished as an owl (just need to do a little detailing to it) and started a wolf under it, but it got so hot during the days (90F+ and 60-99% humidity) I had to quit.

A secret to carving elm is a good air compressor, air hammer, and a few sharp chisels for the hammer, a medium grit diamond hone, gloves, and last but not least a can of WD-40. The air hammer eats up elm like a finely honed knife cuts through basswood. Slight pressure on the trigger works good for precission cuts and rough detail work.

[don]

I like the grouping of the Elm.Having them facing away makes them look more like they just showed up rather than being placed there.
I like even more your big maple stump. I guess its becaue the width of the stump gave you room to make the broader faces I prefer.
Another good job on both but which was worse ,the low stump or the granite grained elm? Bet your happy to be getting back to a nice piece of pine. : Don

Looks good Colin. to repeat another comment, I had to chuckle, they did look as if they were having a conversation. An interesting carving to have in your yard. Do you do something to preserve the stumps?? Looked at your maple stump also, great!!

[Colin-Partridge]

Hugh,
Yes I use Sikkens stain on the carving three coats one Cetol 1 and two coats of Cetol 23. I seal the top of the stump with Bondo sand it down and stain it the same color as the carving. When it has dried I then give it a coat of Thompson's Water Sealer. I then tell the customer that they should give it a coat twice a year once in the spring and again in the fall. I find that the Sikkens although expensive lasts up to 5 or 6 years without having to re-apply it.
Colin